Desiree Lopez

For the first time since spring 2019, UC Merced will honor the achievements of spring graduates with a traditional in-person commencement weekend this month.

“We are proud of all these young people who worked so diligently, with the support of their families, their friends and our outstanding faculty and staff, to earn their degrees,” said Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz. “This on-campus weekend will be a grand celebration of their accomplishments and a fitting start to the lives of success upon which they will embark.”

A team of UC Merced engineering students brought hands-on lessons on drones and robotics to hundreds of children and families at the recent Tri-Valley Innovation Fair.

“Drones and robots are a gateway, a spark for young people to explore STEM,” said Leigh Bernacchi, program director of the Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS) and the Banatao Institute at UC Merced, who led the students in the all-day demonstrations at the March 19 fair.

For the first time, a UC Merced alumnus will serve on the UC Board of Regents.

Keith Ellis, who received his bachelor’s degree from UC Merced in 2012, will serve a two-year term beginning in July and continuing through June 2024. In addition to his new role, Ellis will be recognized as an active officer of the Alumni Associations of UC (AAUC).

The pandemic caused UC Merced to pivot to virtually connecting students and alumni with employers interested in hiring them for internships and full-time jobs. After two years of virtual events this week, the Center for Career & Professional Advancement is once again hosting companies on campus whose goal is to recruit students and alumni.

The three-day event starts on Tuesday, March 15, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Kolligian Library. The event will allow students and alumni to speak to renowned companies about joining their teams.

The new UC Merced Bobcat STEM Scholars Program, funded by a $1.4 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), will provide four years of scholarship support for up to 10 eligible incoming students per year who declare majors within the university’s School of Natural Sciences (SNS).

A resume is often the first impression an employer has of a job candidate.

Delia S. Saenz, Ph.D., will join UC Merced as vice chancellor and chief diversity officer, after a nationwide search. She will begin this spring.

Chancellor Juan Sanchez Muñoz announced the appointment this week.

UC Merced is committing to provide Los Angeles high school students the tools and guidance to attend college.

The university is embarking on a partnership with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and the federally funded Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) to increase the number of low-income students who graduate from high school prepared to succeed in postsecondary education and lifelong learning.

UC Merced’s Director of Pre-Law Studies Mark Harris is taking on a new position to help address racism at Sacramento City Unified School District (SCUSD).

Officials for the school district created a new position for Harris as district liaison to provide independent recommendations to the district on investigations and racist incidents.

As part of a heartfelt tribute to their beloved advisor, mentor and “surrogate mom,” a group of university alumni and Omega Delta Phi fraternity members have established the Carla Krogh Legacy Endowed Scholarship, which will support UC Merced students with a demonstrated interest in public and community service.